To George Washington from Andrew Lewis, 8 August 1778

From Andrew Lewis

Fort Pitt August 8th 1778

Dear General

I have been asked in such a Manner by the Board of this State to attend as a
Commissioner in this quarter that I knew not how to refuse tho I had but little hopes of
having it in my power to be of real Service, as a Treaty with the
Indians I believed to be what was principally in View.1
I arrived at this place on the 1st Instant but found neither Indians, Agent, or
Commissioner, from the State of Pennsylvania nor the Instructions which I was told would
be found on my Arrival at this place, I shall wait an Answer to a letter sent on this
Occasion to Congress that I may know the Cause of all the Disappointments and
Embarrasments that seems unhappily to attend what was had in prospect.2

I am confident that your Excellency will think with me that at a Time when our
extensive Frontiers in every Settlement of this State as well as Pennsylvania are dayly
ravaged by the depredations of a combination of all the Savage Tribes (except a few of
the Delawares who seem to be friendly disposed) nothing can be expected by a Treaty
before they are heartyly drubbed into a peacifick dispositition. And this leads me to
mention something of the present embarrassing Circumstances of General McIntosh who is
crossed in all his expectations, disappointed in the Levies that were to join his few
Regulars, the Provisions of Flesh laid in last Winter damaged, unacquainted with what
further Supplys he may be furnished with or when it may be expected, the Savages
frequently Murdering & Scalping without having it in his power to afford
protection even in the defensive way, the Season of the year far advanced, and in every
respect without having the least prospect of effecting any thing that can redound to his
credit or the safety of the Inhabitants, and tho he has had no regular Notice that
Congress has laid aside the Scheme of attacking Detroit this Year, yet from the
backwardness above mentioned as well as from a representation & Opinion of the
Board of this State to Congress, he has reason to believe it will be the case;3 but however that may be the Attacking of that Post this Year
however Necessary is altogether out of the Question. this being the case I hope your
Excellency will pardon the freedom I take when I say that unless General McIntosh be
enabled to carry the War into the Indian Countrys this Year the Savages will become more
and more Insolent, and the back Settlements depopulated, in short nothing but Murder,
Burning, Devestations, and wretched Captivity can be expected. I hope in god that
matters has or will take such a turn in your favour that your Excellen[c]y will be able
to reinforce the General so that a check may be given the Indians in the Offensive way
and in the mean Time preperations effectually made for the Reduction of Detroit next
Year.

Were it not that I am apprehensive for the safety of my Family as well as the back
Inhabitants in general I could be happy in my retirement, And I hope Congress are happy
in the proofs they have given of their Infallibility in giving promotion out of the line
of Seniority, tho some think that suspension & the
proceedings of a General Court Martial are against it4—I
am Your Excellency Most obedt and very Humble servt

Andw Lewis

LS, DLC:GW.

1. On 4 June, Congress resolved that three commissioners should be appointed, two by
Virginia and one by Pennsylvania, “for the purpose of holding a treaty with the
Delawares, Shawnees, and other Indians who may assemble at Fort Pitt, on the twenty
third of July next” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 11:568). On 18 June the Virginia council of state appointed Lewis as one of
the commissioners authorized by that resolution (Va. State Council Journals description begins H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds. Journals of the Council of the State of Virginia. 5 vols. Richmond, 1931–82. description ends , 2:150).

4. Congress had passed over the more senior Lewis when they appointed five major
generals, including Arthur St. Clair and Adam Stephen, on 19 Feb. 1777 (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 7:133). Subsequently Congress had resolved on 14 Nov. 1777 that St. Clair “be
at liberty to attend his private affairs” until ordered to headquarters for a
still-pending inquiry into his conduct while commanding at Fort Ticonderoga (ibid.,
9:901), and Stephen had been dismissed from the army after a court-martial on his
conduct at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown (see General Orders, 20 Nov.
1777).

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